{"id":3370,"date":"2015-06-01T01:00:12","date_gmt":"2015-06-01T08:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/blog\/?p=3370"},"modified":"2015-06-01T10:08:03","modified_gmt":"2015-06-01T17:08:03","slug":"meet-the-aoa-team-larry-piercy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/meet-the-aoa-team-larry-piercy.html","title":{"rendered":"Meet the AoA team — Larry Piercy"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s pretty easy to make the case that Larry Piercy has the coolest job in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Larry-1\"<\/a>

Larry working as Range Master at the 2014 EBR.<\/p><\/div>\n

We\u2019ll get to the details of this innovative venture in just a little while, but first a little background about Piercy. \u201cAs a kid, I had a Daisy 1894 lookalike. I\u2019ve known Robert Buchanan, president of AoA, for thirty years, but I didn\u2019t really know about adult precision airguns until he and I got involved starting the Airgunners of Arizona field target club.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds, \u201cI started field target with a Slavia 631, a seven-foot-pound gun. I think I dropped only four targets in that first match. After that, I bought a Beeman R1 in .20 caliber and did better. Larry has been heavily involved with airguns and field target ever since and is currently president of the Airgunners of Arizona field target club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Piercy is also an NRA-certified firearms instructor and a Certified Range Officer for the United States Practical Shooting Association.<\/p>\n

Early in 2015, Piercy retired from Boeing after 26 and a half years, and within a month Robert Buchanan phoned. He wanted to discuss an idea he had been thinking about for some time. The next day Larry and Robert met for breakfast to discuss their visions for the project, and within a couple of days, Piercy was on the AoA team.<\/p>\n

So here are the details on \u201cthe coolest job in the world\u201d: as this is being written, within a few days Larry will begin touring the country in a custom van that is tricked out as a mobile showroom for Airguns of Arizona and Precision Airgun Distribution, which is the distribution arm of AoA.<\/p>\n

\"Larry-Van-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis project has four goals,\u201d Larry says. \u201cThe primary goal is to establish additional dealers in the Precision Airgun Distribution network. The van will be a mobile showcase for adult precision airguns. We\u2019ll have 10 long guns \u2013 everything from an HW30 to an Air Wolf \u2013 and 2-3 pistols. We\u2019ll take the latest airguns to them, let them see them, touch them, and, if there are the facilities, shoot them.<\/p>\n

The second goal is to help existing dealerships to be more successful. A third goal will be to interface with the airgunning public, which means that Piercy and the van will be visiting the National Field Target Championships, the National Airgun Benchrest Championships, and similar events. The van is equipped with an Omega electric compressor and a Daystate gas-powered compressor for refilling tanks and a workbench \u201cin case somebody blows an o-ring.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Van-Rear\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A fourth goal will be to do some outreach to provide some relief for people in need, and Piercy\u2019s son-in-law, who has a master\u2019s degree in counseling, will be a resource for that effort.<\/p>\n

The plan is for Piercy to go out on the road for up to three weeks, then spend a week or two at home, then repeat the process. \u201cWhen I\u2019m home, I\u2019ll be visiting local ranges in the Phoenix area. Already there is one range planning to build an airgun facility, and I can help with supervision as well as shooting and safety instruction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert Buchanan will accompany Piercy on the first trip, a 7-10-day sweep through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Piercy says, \u201cI\u2019m finding that in some areas, they know that airgunning is really growing in popularity, but firearms dealers are somewhat reticent to get involved. It should be an interesting trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buchanan adds, \u201cWe\u2019re going to learn a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

After they return, it should be very interesting to find out what they have learned.<\/p>\n

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.<\/p>\n